Automatic stop mechanism for sound-reproducing machines.



No. 650,526. Patented May 29, I900. J. H. CROWELL. AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM FOR SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINES.

(Applicatiqn filed Feb. 27. 1899.)

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No. 650,526. Patented May 29, I900.

J. H. C'ROWELL.

AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM FOR SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINES.

(Application filed. Feb. 27. 1399.)

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JOHN II. CROWELL, OF VINEYARD HAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS S. PARVIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC STOP MECHANISM FOR S OUND-REPRODUCING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,526, dated May 29, 1900.

' Application filed February 27,1399. Serial No. 706,986. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. OROWELL, a resident of Vineyard Haven, in the county of Dukes, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Stop Mechanisms for Sound-Reproducing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speci- [c fication.

My invention relates to an improved automatic stop mechanism for sound-reproducing machines and is particularly adapted to machines using a flat circular record.

The object of my invention is to provide means for automatically stopping the operation of the machine immediately upon the completion of the reproduction, or, in other words, as soon as the stylus-point of the re producer has traversed and reaches the terminus of the record-grooves.

The uses and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent from the following description, reference being had to the ac- 2 5 companying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grainephone-machine having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the records detached from the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan of a section of the turn-table, illustrating the dog which releases the brake mechanism and also illustrating a portion of the machine-casing and the detent-lever for 3 5 holding the brake. Fig. 5 is a detail section through a portion of the turn-table and the pivoted dog.

In the said drawings, A designates the outer casing of a machine of the gramophone 0 type, which contains the usual motor mechanismfor running the machine, and B is the revoluble turn-table,adapted to support a fiat circular record 0, such as are used on machines of this character.

D designates the reproducer, carried by a supporting-arm D, pivotally mounted on the bracket D this arm D also serving to support the horn E, which is fastened at its smaller end to the reproducer.

The record-disk O has onits upper surface the spirally-arranged record-grooves o, adapted to be engaged during the operation of the machine with the stylus-point dof the reproducer. These grooves c commence at a point near the periphery of the disk and recede spirally toward the center of the said disk, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and stop at a point less than half the length of the radius of the disk, the'length of the grooves varying, of course, according to the length of the matter recorded. A short distance inside the terminus of the grooves c I describe a circular groove F, drawn concentric with the axis of the disk. I then draw a line from the inner end of the groove 0 diametrically through the circular groove F, as c f, bisect this line, and describe a curved groove F from this center tangent with the points 0 f, thus forminga continuous groove from the terminus of the spiral to the endless groove F for the purpose presently to be described.

On one side of the casing A, I provide an upwardly-extendin g arm g,to which is secured a spring brake-lever G, having a teat g of leather or other suitable material adapted to bear against the periphery of the turn-table and serve as a brake to stop the same A detent-lever I-I, pivoted at its lower end at h to the casingA, is provided, having its upper end provided with a wedge-shaped edge adapted to engage the free end of the brake-lever G and hold it away from contact with the turntable B when the said lever is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. A

guide-plate z is secured to the casing A back of the lever H, having lugs or projections on its edges for limiting the lateral movement of the said lever H.

On the upper surface of the turn-table 13, adjacent the periphery thereof, is a mortise Z adapted for the reception of a pivoted dog L,

having an upwardly-extending projection Z,

projecting beyond the peripheral edge of the turn table. One of the side walls of the mortise Z slants outwardly toward the periphery of the turn-table, so as to allow the dog L to normally lie in the position shown in Fig. 4; of the drawings, with its projection Z close to the periphery of the record and turn-table, While the opposite wall is parallel with the edge of the dog when it is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig, 4 of the drawings and limits its movement in this direction.

Secured on the under side of the reproducersupporting arm D is an arm M, located at an angle-say about forty-five degrees; to the arm D and extending downwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The free end of this arm M is. bent down, as at m, so as to reach just slightly above the plane of the record-disk O.

The operation of my device may be described as follows: The reproducer carrying the stylus is adjusted so that the said stylns rests in the beginning of the spirally-arranged grooves-c and the detent-lever II is moved in the position illustrated inFigs. 1- and 2, which throws back the brake G and holds it away from the periphery of the turn-table B, thus allowing the said turn-table and its record to revolve through the medium of the motor mechanism contained in the casing A. The reproduction now commences, and the spirallyarranged grooves being in contact with the stylus-point 01 cause the supporting-arm D to feed automatically in a lateral direction.

As soon as the terminus of the record grooves is reached and the reproduction has been,

completed the stylus-point will enter and be guided by the groove F, which moves the arm D quickly in a lateral direction toward the center of the disk 0. This movement brings the projection m of the depending arm M in thepath of the dog Z and throws the said dog as it comes in contact therewith to the positionv shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 where it is then in a position to engage the upper end of the detent-lever II and release it from engagement with the spring brake-lever G, the lever. H assuming the position shown in dottedl'ines in Fig. 1 and the brake-lever G bearin g aga inst the periphery of the turn-table B and. stopping the same. When it is desired to start the machine again,the dog is returned r to its normal position, and the reproducer is lifted and moved back to the initial position, so that the stylus engages the beginning of the record-grooves, and the detent-lever H is thrown .up. to engage the brake-lever G and hold it away from contact with the turn-table, thus allowing the same to again revolve. A number of slight changes in the constructionand arrangementof the brake mecln anism' and'its engaging parts might be made.

Hence I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but hold that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my. invention.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

'1. A rotatable tablet having therein a groove capable of guiding the stylus of a talkingj-machine, one part of said groove being arranged in convolutions close together and containing a sound-record, the other part diverging rapidly from said first part for the purpose set forth,

2. A reoord-disk having in itsface a continuous groove capableof guiding the stylus of a sound-reproducer, said groove consisting of a part arranged in a close spiral and containing a sound-record, a'spiral part diverging rapidly from said close spiral and terminating in, the third part, said third part consisting of a closed curve arranged about the center of the disk.

3. In a sound-reproducing machine, the

combination with a record having means for shunting the reproducer in a lateral direction after the reproduction is completed, a reproducer-support, and mechanism connected with the reproducer-su-ppert adapted to automat ically stop the machine immediately after the reproduction has been, completed, substan tially as described.

' 4. In a sound -'reprodn'eing machine, the combination with the revoluble record, a record-support, a brake mechanism for thesaid recordsupport, means. for keeping the said brake out of contact with the record-support during the reproduction, a reproducer-support, and trip mechanism carried by the said reproducer-s11 pportfor automatically operata'ing the said brake to stop the record imme- ,diately upon the completion of the reproduction, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a sound-reproducing machine, the combination of a record, means provided 1 thereon for shunting the reproducer in a lat- ;eral direction after the completion of the reiproduction, abrake adapted to bear against the record-support, means for holding the said brake out of contact with the record, a reproducer-support, and means connected f with the reproducer-supportfor releasing the isaid brake immediately upon the completion of the reproduction, substantially as described. r

6. In a sound-reproducing machine, the Ecombination with a revoluble record, means 3 provided thereonfor shunting the reproducer iin a lateral direction after its stylus has ireachedthe terminusbf the record-grooves, a brake adapted to bear against the. recordsupport, mechanism for holding thesaid brake away from contact with the recordf support, a pivoted dog carried by the recordsupport adapted, when. thrown out to engage and release the brake-holding mechanism, a {reproducer-support, and means connected i with the reproducer-support for throwing out ;said pivoted dog upon the completion of the f reproduction. recorded in the record-grooves, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the revoluble record, of means provided thereon for shifting the reproducer laterally when theend of the support adapted teen gage the pivoted dog and throw it into a position to engage the brakeholding mechanism. and release the brake when the reproduction has been completed, substantially as described.

8. The combination With the revoluble record,of a pivotallymiounted reproducer,means for shunting; the said reproducer in a lateral direction after its stylus has reached the terminus of the record-grooves, a turn-table for supporting the record,a brake adapted to bear against the record turn-table, a detent-lever adapted to hold the brake away from contact with the turn-table, a movable dog carried by the turn-table adapted when thrown out to engage the detent-lever and release the brake, and a depending arm carried by the reproducer-support adapted to operate the movable dog when the said reproducer-support has been shifted laterally after the completion of the reproduction, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a revoluble record having means provided thereon for laterally shifting the reproducer after its stylus has reached the terminus of the record-grooves, of a depending arm, M, carried by the reproducer-support adapted when the said lateral movement takes place to engage and throw out a pivoted dog, L, a turn-table for supporting the record, a brake adapted to bear against the turn-table, a detent-lever, H, adapted to hold the brake away from the turn-table, and the pivoted dog, L, adapted when thrown out to engage the detent, H, and release the brake, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the revoluble record,of a reproducer-support, a reproducer carried thereby, a table carrying said record, a dog pivoted to the record-table near the periphery thereof, a projection, Z, extending above the plane of the record, a brake, G, adapted to bear on the record-table, a detent, H, for holding the brake normally away from the record-table, and an arm, M, carried by the reprodu'cer adapted to engage the projection, Z, and throw the dog, L, in the path of the detent, H, when the reproduction is completed, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the revoluble record,of a reproducer-support, a reproducer carried thereby, a table carrying said record, a dog pivoted to said table and having a projection, Z, extending above the plane of the record, said table having a cut-out portion, Z, for limiting the movement of the dog, L, a springbrake, G, adapted to bear on the periphery of the record-table, a detent, H, for holding the brake normally away from the record-table, a guide-plate, i, for limiting the movement of the detent, and a depending arm, M, carried by the reproducer-support adapted to engage the projection, Z, and throw the dog, L, in the path of the detent, H, and release the brake immediately after the completion of the repro duction, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of February, A. D. 1899.

JOHN H. CROWELL.

Witnesses:

DENNIS SMITH, E. ST. GRoIX OLIVER. 

